Your way to perfect espresso
What you will learn here:
In short: Our opinion on the Profitec PRO300
The Profitec Pro300 has been around for several years. What's new is that the machine has been manufactured in Germany since 2021. The already excellent workmanship has been improved even further. The very short heat-up time of 8-10 minutes and the low power consumption have remained unchanged. The shape of the housing is significantly more modern than that of many other espresso machines. The steam and hot water boiler is relatively small, so the steam power is manageable but sufficient. The PID with integrated shot timer makes operation absolutely easy, even for beginners. If you like the look, you're getting a top-quality espresso machine "Made in Germany" at an absolutely fair price.
Profitec PRO300 review
The goal of our test is to find out how the Pro 300 performs in everyday scenarios. We'll take a close look at the following points:
- Heating time and temperature stability
- How easy is the machine to operate?
- Scope of delivery
- Manufacturing quality
How do we test the Profitec PRO300?
First, we check the exact heat-up time using a standardized procedure. The crucial points are when the boiler reaches temperature—in this case, the espresso and service boilers, of course—and when the clamped portafilter reaches a temperature of 50°C. For this purpose, the portafilter is equipped with a thermometer on the bottom, near the spout. The probe is embedded in the material. The portafilter for measuring the brewing temperature has a thermally decoupled probe. We have developed a point system for all other topics. We discuss the relevant values, also incorporating our customers' experiences and feedback.
Heating time
The PRO300's heat-up time is incredibly fast for a portafilter espresso machine with a boiler. Immediately after switching on, the temperature displayed in the PID rises rapidly. The coffee boiler reaches its set value of 92°C after just 2:36 minutes. It takes another 7:11 minutes for the temperature to transfer to the brewing group and the clamped portafilter. In total, 9:37 minutes pass from the moment of switching on until the machine is fully heated. With an empty brew after approximately 5 minutes, this time can be reduced to under 7 minutes. This makes the Profitec PRO300 one of the fastest boiler machines we've tested.
Temperature stability
The temperature for the espresso brew is measured using a Scace device. There is a standardized measurement method for this purpose, but it was developed for professional machines used in the catering industry and is of little use for later use with a home machine. We have therefore developed our own protocol, which is based on the actual use of an espresso machine in everyday use.
Two values are crucial for us:
- The offset: How far does the average value of the measurement deviate from the set target temperature
- The largest deviation: How large is the maximum deviation from the target value during the reference.
-
Operation
The PRO 300 is quite easy to operate. There's a separate on/off switch for each boiler, and a toggle switch on top to start the brewing process. The PID display with its integrated shot timer allows even inexperienced users to get the perfect shot. Operating the PID is a bit fiddly, typical of ECM, but once you get the hang of it, it's not a big problem.
When frothing milk, the steam wand is a bit too short. The machine's "balcony" obscures the visual reference when clamping the portafilter, so this requires some feeling and practice. Overall, however, the operation is absolutely fine for such a compact machine.
What does Profitec deliver?
In addition to the machine, the box contains a very nice tamper, a portafilter with a first and second spout, each with the corresponding sieves, the obligatory blind sieve, and a small brush for cleaning the brewing group. The instruction manual is visually appealing and very well-structured.
Made in Germany - The manufacturing quality
The Profitec Pro300 has been manufactured at the ECM/Profitec headquarters in Bammental since April 2021. This makes the machine one of the few "Made in Germany" machines. Even when manufactured in Italy, the PRO300 was outstanding in terms of workmanship, and now it's top-notch. There's nothing to complain about, and there's nothing comparable in this price segment.
Conclusion on the PRO300
The Profitec PRO300 remains an absolute insider tip for an excellent espresso machine that produces outstanding coffee, is superbly crafted, and offers great value for money. While the looks are debatable, the technology is impressive across the board. The steam output is a bit weak compared to dual-circuit machines in this class, but with a little getting used to it, microfoam is perfectly achievable. We continue to value this uncomplicated all-rounder.
